Dutch-American Heritage Day celebrates culture

Dutch-American Heritage Day celebrates culture

Elsa Prince Broekhuizen. Courtesy Dutch American Council

The Dutch American Council is celebrating its culture this week.

The council will host Dutch-American Heritage Day this Wednesday at The Pinnacle Center in Hudsonville, at 5:30 p.m.

The council said the annual dinner “strives to keep Dutch history and culture alive for future generations, while celebrating the strong ties between the Netherlands and the United States.”

The event will feature traditional Dutch-inspired music, costumes and food.

Elsa Prince Broekhuizen

This year’s event will pay tribute to philanthropist Elsa Prince Broekhuizen.

Broekhuizen servers as the chairperson for Lumir Corporation, which oversees the development of downtown Holland, and is a board member for the Action Institute and the Family Research Council.

Previously, Broekhuizen has served on boards for her alma mater, Calvin College, the Holland/Zeeland Community Foundation and Focus on the Family.

Broekhuizen, whose parents were Dutch immigrants, is the mother of Betsy DeVos and Erik Prince, a former Navy SEAL and founder of Blackwater.

Holland

The event’s keynote speaker will be Hope College professor Robert Swierenga, who will speak about his new book, “Holland Michigan: From Dutch Colony to Dynamic City.”

Swierenga is a scholar of immigration history, particularly Dutch immigration.

He’s also the author of “Dutch Chicago,” as well as several other books.

Tickets

Tickets for the event are for $15.

To register, call 616-726-8010 or email info at wmdutch-americanheritage dot com.